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San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson (38) walks through the dugout in the third inning of their Spring Training Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Saturday, March 3, 2012. (Anda Chu/Staff)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson (38) sits in the dugout in the third inning of their Spring Training Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Saturday, March 3, 2012. (Anda Chu/Staff)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brian Wilson celebrates his 30th birthday Friday. You know what that means. As a power pitcher, his meter is running.

This is not Wilson’s fault. The meter is running on every veteran major league arm that relies on the force of fierceness to get the job done. History shows that human beings who throw 98 mph fastballs usually have quicker expiration dates as professional pitchers.

So he’s trying to take it easy. Or easier.

“I should stay in the low 90s right now if I can,” Wilson said here the other day.

Holding back is a wicked task for him, far more wicked than the dragon tattoo on his shoulder. But he’s trying. Wilson’s elbow was not his friend last season. It became inflamed, and the Giants’ ace closer was shut down by the team’s medical staff, first from mid-August through mid-September, then from Sept. 21 to the end of the season — and on through December. Only then could he begin lifting weights with the arm.

Which brings us to this spring. In two exhibition game appearances, Wilson has looked good, with quick, scoreless innings. He’s on pace to hit top speed by opening day. Yet each time Wilson takes the mound, eyes focus on that elbow.

Wilson understands. During a reflective conversation this week, he was brutally honest. In his business, he knows the arm could last for another decade. Or it could go anytime.

“Preventative maintenance is a huge factor,” Wilson said. “But you can be the healthiest guy in the world and sometimes there are unforeseen events — just being unlucky. It might happen one day, where your arm just blows out and you couldn’t do anything to prevent it. But I don’t worry about that.”

He might be the only one. Each year, a flamethrower does seem to get very unlucky. This spring, it was Joel Zumaya of the Minnesota Twins. In 2006 as a 21-year-old rookie in Detroit, he utilized his 100-plus mph stuff to strike out 97 hitters in 83﻿1/3 innings. But after breaking his elbow during a game in 2010, Zumaya was coming back after an arduous rehab — until a few weeks ago. He felt something snap while throwing batting practice. Just like that. Torn ulnar collateral ligament. Zumaya’s options: Undergo surgery with another long rehab … or retire at age 27.

Wilson is not Zumaya. Wilson may indeed not be worried. Yet on the surface, he is in a more serious mood more often this spring. The man who cultivated baseball’s only gnome-length industrial black beard may want us to believe he is an uber-goofy flake. But the baseball sector of his brain is decidedly not goofy.

Plenty of people — fans and trainers and coaches — have plenty of theories about how power pitchers should feed and cultivate their arms to assure a long career. There is no set manual. Wilson writes his own. Upon request, he expounded on that topic. And goofiness left the room. He could have been a lab doctor leading a seminar.

“The key,” Wilson said, “is not just working hard but working smart, and knowing your limits. With age, you’re going to have to be a little bit more smart as the innings start getting a little bit more taxing.”

Most critical, Wilson explained, are “all the tedious things that are boring” — namely, the endless exercises with 5-pound weights to keep his rotator cuff and forearm muscles in proper shape. Wilson’s own unique training twist, though, involves having his heartbeat monitored electronically during relief outings. Then he tries to emulate the experience as part of his workout regimen.

“Once you hit the mound in a game, your heart rate is about 140 beats per minute due to the situation,” Wilson said. “And it can be anywhere from 140 to 180 while pitching. So I’ll take a 15-minute workout and make sure my heart rate doesn’t go below 160. It’s really difficult to imitate the art of pitching. But you can trick your body and do things that are sort of like it.”

How long can Wilson keep tricking that body? There’s no reliable way to predict. You could point to Hall of Fame power-reliever Rich Gossage, who extended his career to age 43 and was fairly effective through age 37. Or you could point to former Giants closer Robb Nen, who was only 32 when he famously wrecked his arm by pitching injured to help his team reach the 2002 playoffs — and never played another game after that season.

Surely, Wilson must ponder the history of those other men, particular the ones who have hurled in heat and come to painful ends. Remember, for him, it’s not just this spring or this summer at stake. Wilson is signed through 2012 with the Giants (he’ll make $8.5 million this season) and is under team control for 2013 if the Giants offer him arbitration. After that, Wilson can become a free agent and really cash in — if his arm is still firing on all cylinders.

Bruce Bochy, the Giants’ manager, says Wilson reminds him more of Gossage than any other reliever. This means a long career could be in the cards. But it could mean some subtle adjustments. From Wilson’s spring outings so far, you get the feeling we could see a slightly different bearded relief style this season.

Wednesday, Wilson took just 14 pitches to retire three straight batters. Last weekend in his first spring appearance, he needed nine pitches, allowing a single before escaping the inning on a strikeout-throw out double play. Giants fans can recall many regular-season appearances where Wilson has taken 25 or more pitches to set down the side. It’s as if Wilson finally realizes he might have only so many hardball deliveries in that arm. If he starts throwing more first-pitch strikes this summer, that will be confirmation.

Meanwhile, seriousness dominates. Example: Wilson’s next scheduled pitching appearance is Saturday, on St. Patrick’s Day. A reporter searching for a colorful quote on that angle did not earn Wilson’s full buy-in.

“It’ll just be another opportunity to pitch,” Wilson shrugged, then said: “But if you’re looking for a funny answer … It’ll be St. Patrick’s Day, I’m Irish and I’m not sorry.”

He’s not at 98 mph yet, either. He’s being patient. It’s kind of killing him. But if it keeps Wilson’s arm alive and happy through 2020 or 2021 … well, then everyone drinks free green beer at the retirement party.

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